Tickety Toc
Anna Holmes
Tickety Toc
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Pirate Time
by Anna Holmes
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Tommy and Tallulah race across the backyard, their pirate ship rocking with every step. They can almost hear the treasure calling, but wait—Hopparoo’s sneaky grin means trouble is just around the corner. What will happen when the treasure hunt takes an unexpected twist?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This early reader adventure follows Tommy and Tallulah as they build a pirate ship and set off to find hidden treasure, with a clever twist introduced by Hopparoo. Suitable for children ages 5 to 8, the story encourages imagination, cooperation, and problem-solving. The book contains light suspense and friendly rivalry, making it an engaging yet gentle read for young readers.
Why we rated Tickety Toc 7C
Tickety Toc is written at a Level 2 reading level across 24 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tickety Toc works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate Tickety Toc as 7C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Tickety Toc explores friendship, adventure, pirates, and children's fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, pirates.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
7C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780545614757
- Pages
- 24
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction